Peanut harvesting machine



p 1950 P. B. sEARcY 2,522,644

PEANUT HARVESTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l v IN V EN TOR. PE TEA 8 same):

BY %%Mflamwz flaw/Idem 4 7'TOR/VEYS.

Se t. 19, 1950 P. B. SEARCY PEANUT HARVESTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 10, 194*? Sept. 19, 1950 P. B. SEARCY PEANUT HARVESTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 10, 1947 Sept. 19, 1950 P. B. SEARCY 2,522,644

PEANUT HARVESTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4.

JNVENTOR. P575? 5. SEARCY,

BY WZ f/m/mq/fiwm vmm flTTOR/VEYS.

Patented Sept. 19, 1950 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE PEANUT HARVESTING MACHINE Peter B. Searcy, Austin, Tex.

Application November 10, 1947, Serial No. 785,033

4 Claims. i

My invention relates to a machine for harvesting peanuts.

An important object of the invention is to provide a machine for harvesting the Spanish 'or bil'sh growing variety of peanuts, where the nuts develop beneath the surface of the soil, and the bush or plant grows above the ground.

A further object of the invention is to provide a peanut harvesting machine, having means to clean the nuts before they are stripped from their tendrils and collected in a receptacle.

A further object is to provide a peanut harvester for bush growing peanuts, wherein a yielding pressure is exerted upon the plants or foliage as they pass through the machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above mentioned class, which is simple and practical, durable, and rela-- tively inexpensive to build.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the peanut harvesting machine embodying the invention, part broken away.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same, part broken away.

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the opposite side of the machine.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on line 44 of Figure 1, parts omitted.

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on line '55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on line 56 of Figure 1, parts omitted.

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line of Figure 2, parts omitted.

Figure 8 is a plan view, partly diagrammatic, of a support frame,

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 99 of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary rear end elevation taken on line ||l-|ll of Figure 1.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral I5 designates a vertically curved plow beam, carrying a horizontal triangular shaped plow share 6 at its lower end. The front edge I! of the plow share is disposed diagonally, Figure 2. The upper end of the beam I5 is shown broken away, but extends: forwardly z of the peanut harvester for attachment to suitable draught mechanism, not shown. I

Rigidly attached to one side of the plow beam l5, at a point l8, slightly above the share I6 is the forward end of a horizontal longitudinal frame member or bar l9, preferably formed'of angle iron. This bar l'9 extends rearwardly, and is rigidly connected at its rear end to a horizontal transverse angle member or bar 20, disposed at right angles thereto, and projecting laterally outwardly therefrom. The outer end of bar 2|! is rigidly connected to a horizontal longitudinal angle member or bar 2|, parallel to the bar l9, and having a forward extension 22, projecting forwardly of the bar for a substantial distance; The bar 2| also projects rearwardly of the trans-' verse bar 20, and is rigidly connected near its rear end, as at 23, to one end of the downwardly offset transverse horizontal portion 24 of a generally U-shaped support or axle 25. The bar 23 projects rearwardly of the axle 25 for a sub stantial distance. Rigidly mounted upon the opposite end of the axle portion 24, as at 26, and extending forwardly and rearwardly therefrom I is a horizontal longitudinal angle member or bar 21, parallel to the bar 2|. The rear end of bar 21 is disposed laterally opposite to the rear end of bar 2|. The forward end of bar 21 is rigidly connected to the outer end of a horizontal transverse angle member or bar 21, arranged at'right angles thereto, and laterally opposite from and in alignment with bar 20. The inner opposed ends of bars 20 and 28 are spaced apart laterally, as shown in Figure 8. Rigidly attached to the inner end of bar 28, and extending forwardly therefrom and parallel to bar [9 is a horizontal longitudinal member or resilient bar 29. This bar 29 is preferably formed of spring steel, and the relatively wide side of the bar 29 is disposed vertically, so that the bar cannot flex vertically.

The bar 29 is however slightly resilient and can .be flexed laterally. The forward end of theresilient bar 29 is attached, as at 30, to a curved resilient strap 3 preferably made of spring steel. The resilient strap 3| projects upwardly and forwardly of the forward end of bar 29, and it also extends laterally toward the plow beam i5, and is connected therewith, near the top of the same, as shown at 32.

The U-shaped axle 25 has vertical upstanding arms 33 at its opposite ends, and the arms 33 are disposed outwardly of the bars 2| and 21. The vertical arms 33 carry axially aligned outwardly projecting axle extensions 34, upon which are Ic tf ll f y l y mounted wheels 35. The description thus far discloses a horizontal unitary lower support frame, arranged near the ground level, and supported at its forward end by the plow beam l5, and at its rear end by the U-shaped axle 25.

Rigidly secured to the side of plow beam l5, above the point l8, as at 36 and 31 is a rigid handbar mounting bracket 38 which projects rearwardly and upwardly from the beam l5. The bracket 38 is rigidly secured to the lower end of a hand-bar '39, which is inclined and projects rearwardly and upwardly. The hand-bar 39 includes a downwardly curved end extension or handle 40. A horizontal longitudinal brace 4| serves to connect the top of beam I to the lower portion of hand-bar 39. Disposed laterally 0pposite to the hand-bar 39, and parallel thereto is a second hand-bar 42, having a handle 43. The hand-bar 42 is rigidly connected at its lower end to a bracket 44, in turn connected at its lower end to the outer side of resilient strap 3|, a substanextension 34, and carries an upper bearing 59,

the bearing being in axial alignment with the hearing 48. Journaled in the bearings 48 and 58 is a transverse horizontal shaft 5|. This shaft isdisposed near the top of the harvester, and extends transversely for substantially the full width of the same. Inwardly of the hand-bar 39 a brace 52 connects the shaft 5| and the inner side ofhand-bar 39, as at 53. The lower end of brace 52- carries a bearing 54, to rotatably receive the shaft 5|. The brace 52 is disposed at right angles to hand-bar 39., Figure 3. A brace 55 is connected to the hand-bar 42, opposite from the brace 52. This brace 55 has a head or bearing 56 for rotatably receiving the shaft 5| therein. The brace--55 is generally horizontal, and is connected to the outer side of hand-bar 42, as at 51. The brace 55 is slightly resilient, and may be flexed laterally asmall amount. It is thus seen that the shaft 5| is supported by arms 41 and 49, and connected with hand-bars 39 and 42 through braces 52and 5.5. The hand-bars 39 and 42 converge slightly toward their forward ends, Figure 2. As shown clearly in Figure 2, the plow beam [5 is offset slightly from the longitudinal center line of the harvester and toward the bar [9.

Y Disposed upon opposite sides of the longitudinal eenterline of the machine, and arranged in oppesed parallel relation are longitudinal inclined conveyor sides or fenders 58, and 59. The fenders 5.6and 59 are inclined parallel to the hand-bars 39 and and are transversely and vertically curved, Figurefi, with their concave sides disposed innermost. The lower longitudinal edges of the fenders 58 and 59 are bent to form inner vertical longitudinal flanges 69, to which are rigidly parallel longitudinal channel members or base plates 6| and 62. The inner longitudinal edges of the base plates 6| and 62 are slightly spaced, form.- ing a vertical longitudinal passage 63 at the longitudinal centerline of-the machine, and extending for the entire length thereof. The lower forward ends of the fenders 58 and 59 and base plates 6| and 62 are disposed horizontally and at ground level, and are flared laterally outwardly, a shown e r y in F ure 2; Theforward flared ends of fenders 58 and 59 are directly over the plow share l6. The upper or discharge ends of the fender 58 projects above and rearwardly of shaft 5|. The upper end of fender 59 terminates a short distance above the longitudinal center of the base plate 62, Figure l. The fender 58 and base plate 6| carried thereby are resiliently supported near their lower ends by a resilient spring steel bracket or band 64, attached at its top end to bracket 38, as at 65, and curved about the outer side of fender 58 and secured thereto, as at 66. The fender 59 and base plate 62 carried thereby are correspondingly resiliently supported near their forward ends by resilient strap 3|, secured to fender 59, as at 61. At their upper ends fenders 58 and 59 and base plates 6| and 62 are supported by arms 68 and 69, having upper forked ends 16 to slidably engage around the shaft 5|. The lower forward ends of arms 68 and 69 are rigidly attached to the side edges of base plate 6| and 62, as at 1|. The arms 68 and 69 are preferably formed of spring steel, and are somewhat resilient and may be flexed laterally. It is thus seen that the fenders 58 and 59, and base plates 6| and 62 carried thereby are resiliently mounted at their upper and lower ends, and they may be flexed laterally for a small distance. Extensible coil springs 12 are loosely mounted upon the shaft 5|. The outer ends of these springs 12 engage annular collars 13, rigidly connected to the shaft. Their inner ends engage against the outer sides of arm 68 and 69, and serve to resiliently urge the same inwardly laterally.

Also mounted upon shaft 5|, inwardly of arms 68 and 69 are cylindrical sleeves V 14, having diametrically oppositely arranged longitudinal slots 15 formed therein. Pins 16, rigidly mounted upon shaft 5| have their opposite ends projecting into slots 15, Figure ,7, for causing the sleeves 14 to rotate with shaft 5|. The ,sleeves 14 are slidably axially upon the shaft 5|. Formed integral with sleeves 14, and disposed at opposite ends of the same, are bevel gears 11, and indexing toothed wheels or cams 18, having radial fingers 19. The outer surfaces of bevel gears 11 are adjacent to arms 68 and 69. The cams 18 are disposed near the inner longitudinal edges of base plates 6| and 62, Figure 7. The sleeves 14, gears 11, and cams 18 rotate with shaft 5|.

Arranged above the base plates 6| and 62, and spaced upwardly, slightly, therefrom, and extending for substantially the full length of the same, are rotatable spiral shafts or conveyors 88 and 8|. These shafts or conveyors 89 and 8| are journaled at their lower ends in stationary bearings 82, rigidly mounted upon base plates 6| and 62, near the lower ends of the same. Near their top ends, the shafts and 8| carry corrugated rollers 83, which are rigidly mounted upon the shafts, for rotation therewith. The top ends of the spiral shafts 80 and 8| have bevel gears 84 and 85 rigidly mounted thereon, and arranged in meshed engagement with gears 11'. The spiral shafts 80 and BI are journaled near their upper ends in bearing extensions 86, integral with arms 68- and 69. The bearing extensions 86 project laterally inwardly of the arms 68 and 69, and they engage the shafts 80 and BI adjacent to the lower sides of gears 84 and 85, as shown.

Arranged beneath the corrugated rollers 83, and beneath the shaft 5|, and rigidly mounted upon the top surfaces of base plates 6| and 62, are relatively stationary fiat cutting plates 81, having longitudinally curved inner opposed edges P o ided with cutt ng teeth 8.8. e c r ed edges having the teeth 88 project laterally inwardly of the base plates 6| and 62 and converge rearwardly beneath shaft 5I, Figure 4. Slidably mounted upon the stationary cutting plates 81, and being of the same shape, and provided with cutting teeth 89, are reciprocating cutting plates 90. These plates 90 are adapted to slide longitudinally upon the lower cutting plates 81, and they are guided by longitudinally spaced side tabs 9|, formed upon the base plates BI and 62. The top cutting plates 90 have longitudinal slots 92 to slidably receive upstanding pins 93, rigidly secured to the lower cutting plates 81. The slots 92 and pins 93further guide the top reciprocating cutting plates 99, and maintain the same in align,- ment. The cutting plates 99 are urged forwardly by retractile coil springs 94, attached to the forward ends of cutting plates 90, and to the adjacent base plates GI and 62. Thus the plates 8? and the plates 89 form opposed converging pairs of horizontally disposed toothed plates spaced from each other to form a passage therebetween. Mounted upon the top cutting plates 95, adjacent to the cams I8, are trip elements in the form of short horizontal rollers 95, and these rollers are engaged. by the cam fingers 19, to move the cutting plates 99 longitudinally. Each time one of the cam fingers '59 causes the top cutting plate beneath it to move rearwardly, longitudinally, the connected spring 94 pulls it back to its initial forward location, thus imparting a reciprocating motion to the top cutting plate. The slots 92 limit the longitudinal movement of the top cutting plates 99.

Mounted upon the horizontal shaft 5I, outwardly of the arm 4'! is a sprocket wheel 98, driven by a chain 9i which extends downwardly and forwardly, and is in turn driven by a sprocket wheel 93, rigidly mounted upon the crank shaft extension 99 of an engine I03. The engine i 99 is suitably rigidly mounted upon the longitudinal bar-s I9 and 22, as is a gas tank Illl. The engine crank shaft has a laterally inwardly projecting extension 592, having axial or longitudinal splines I53. A bevel gear [94 is mounted upon the shaft extension I02, for rotation therewith, and this gear may slide axially upon the shaft extension. The gear I04 is in meshed engagement with a bevel gear I85, mounted upon a short shaft I96, for rotation therewith. The shaft I96 is inclined, and a bevel gear 59'! is mounted upon its upper end. The gear I9! is in meshed engagement with a small bevel gear ma, rigidly mounted upon a rotatable shaft I99. The shaft I99 is Journaled in a hearing I I9, rigidly secured to the under side of base plate 6|, by bracket III, rigid-1y secured to bearing. The hearing I 59 has a radial H2 having an extension H3, serving :as a bearing for the short shaft I96, and supporting the same. The arm H2 has 5;. depending longitudinal extension I It, having a bottom U-shaped end M5 to surround the lower side of gear I94, Figure 9. The end H5 has an inner projection i 55, to engage the outer side of gear IM and maintain the same in meshed engagement with gear 595. The end of shaft extension I02 is journaled a bearing recess II'l in extension IM. Mounted upon the shaft I09, adjacent to bearing H5, is sprocket wheel H8, driven by a chain I IS), in turn driven by a sprocket wheel l 29. The sprocket wheel H29 is rigidly mounted upon a rotatable shaft l2 I journaled in end bearing brackets 522, and 523 rigidly secured to the under side of base plate 6!, and. depending therefrom. Mounted upon the shaft I2 I, for rotation there- 6. with, is a rotary brush I24, having relatively soft resilient bristles. The brush I24 is disposed slightly below the base plates 6! and 62, and adiacent to the longitudinal passage 63.

Removably mounted upon the horizontal frame members or bars'ZI, 21, 29, and 28. is receptacle or can H5, open at its top, and having inclined top edges E26, parallel to fenders 58 and 59. The can IE5 is disposed beneath the corrugated rollers $3. The can E25 is provided with handles I21, as shown.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The engine I of the machine is started, and this engine drives the shaft 55 and rotary brush I2t. The shaft extension 99 drives sprocket wheel 98, driving chain 9?, sprocket wheel 96, and shaft 5i. The sleeves ii are driven by pins I6, driving gears ll and cams I8. Gears Tl drive gears 84 and 85, driving spiral shafts 89 and 8! and corrugated rollers 83 in the direction of the arrows in Figure 2. Simultaneously the shaft extension I92 rotates, driving gear I04, gears I05, I01, and I93, sprocket wheel Hi3, chain M9, sprocket wheel E29 and brush I24.

While engine I 69 is running the machine is drawn forwardly. The plow share I I6 is below the surface of the soil and severs the tap roots R of peanut plants P, as the harvester advances. The peanuts N are attached to individual tendrils, and grow just beneath the surface of the soil, Figures 1 and 3. As the machine advances, and the tap roots R are severed, the upper foliage of the plant P enters the forward flared ends of fenders 59 and 59. The plants then engage the lower ends of spiral shafts or conveyor -89 and BI, and these shafts cause the entire plants and peanuts to travel upwardly between fenders 58 and 59. The peanuts N are suspended from the tendris to which they are attached, and are disposed in the longitudinal passage 93, during their ascent. As the plants travel upwardly, the peanuts are dragged over the rotary brush I24, which cleans them of excess dirt or soil. As the plants 'appnoach the top of the machine, the suspended peanuts enter between the cutting plates 81 and 90. The top plates 99 are reciprocating, because of the coaction of fingers i9 and pins 95 previously described. When the tendrils holding the peanuts N reach the top converged edges of cut ting plates 8'! and 99, the cutting teeth 88 and 89 coact to sever the nuts from the te-ndrils, and the severed nuts fall into the can 125. Simultaneously with the cutting action just described, the corrugated rollers 83 engage the lower portions of the plant and pull the plant upwardly, tending to pull the suspended peanuts up between the cutting plates. This upward pulling action. caused by rollers 53, aids in severing the peanuts from their tendrils, and also facilitate the discharge of the stripped peanut plants from the rear end of the harvester. The rollers 83 expel the plants upwardly against the upper curved end of fender 58, and the plants are discharged at the rear end to one side of the harvester.

During the above described continuous operation, the opposed fenders 58 and 59 may flex outwardly laterally to widen the passage 55, if an excessively large peanut plant enters between the same. This is possible because of the resilient mounting of the fenders, previously described. When a large plant causes the fenders 58 and 59 to move laterally outwardly, the spiral shafts 8i! and BI must move also. Therefore, the gears l! carried by sleeves 14 must move outwardly on the shaft 5 I while continuing to drive the gears 84. and 85. The slots [5 permit of this action. The springs 12 hold the gears 17 and 3-4 and 85 in mesh. Likewise, when the fenders separate laterally, the gears I04 and H35 are held in mesh by the'end H5, and the gear I04 can slide axially on the splined end of shaft I02, as stated.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention, orthe scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim: 4

1. In a peanut harvester, a wheeled frame, a horizontally disposed shaft arranged transversely of said frame and rotatably supported in said frame, a pair of horizontally disposed rotatable rollers positioned adjacent said shaft and spaced from said shaft, said rollers being spaced from each other to form a passage therebetween for embracingly engaging peanut vines when traveling therethrough, opposed converging pairs of horizontally disposed toothed plates positioned below and in parallel spaced relation with re- Spect to said rollers and spaced from each other to form a passage therebetween for severin the peanuts from the peanut vines when the latter are traveling through the passage between said rollers, each of said pairs of plates embodying a fixed plate and a movable plate superimposed upon said fixed plate and operatively connected to said shaft for longitudinal movement toward and away from said shaft, means operatively connecting said rollers to said shaft, and means connected to said shaft for effecting the rotation thereof.

2 In a peanut harvester, a wheeled frame, a horizontally disposed shaft arranged transversely of said frame and rotatably supported in said frame, a pair of horizontally disposed rotatable rollers positioned adjacent said shaft and spaced from said shaft, said rollers being spaced from each other to form a passage therebetween for embracingly engaging peanut vines when traveling therethrough, opposed converging pairs of horizontally disposed toothed plates positioned below and in parallel spaced relation with respect to said rollers and spaced from each other to form a passage therebetween for severing the peanuts from the peanut vines when the latter are traveling through the passage between said rollers, each of said pairs of plates embodying a fixed plate and a movable plate superimposed upon said fixed plate and operatively connected to said shaft for longitudinal movement toward and away from said shaft, spring means operatively connected to said movable plate for urging the latter away from said shaft, means operatively connecting said rollers to said shaft, and :50

embracingly engaging peanut vines when traveling therethrough, opposed converging pairs of horizontally disposed toothed plates positioned below and in parallel spaced relation with respect to said rollers and spaced from each other to form a passage therebetween for severing the peanuts from the peanut vines when the latter are traveling through the passage between said rollers, each of said pairs of plates embodying a fixed plate and a movable plate superimposed upon said fixed .plate and operatively connected to said shaft for longitudinal movement toward and away from said shaft, a trip element projecting from the upper face of each of said movable plates, a pair of spaced sleeves circumposed on said shaft, a toothed wheel carried by each of said sleeves and engageable with the trip element adjacent thereto, means operatively connecting said rollers to said shaft, and means connected to said shaft for effecting the rotation thereof.

4. In a peanut harvester, a wheeled frame, a horizontally disposed shaft arranged transversely of said frame and rotatably supported in said frame, a pair of horizontally disposed rotatable rollers positioned adjacent said shaft and spaced from said shaft, said rollers being spaced from each other to form a passage therebetween for embracingly engaging peanut vines when traveling therethrough, opposed converging pairs of horizontally disposed toothed plates positioned below and in parallel spaced relation with respect to said rollers and spaced from each other to form a passage therebetween for severing the peanuts from the peanut vines when the latter are traveling through the passage between said rollers, each of said pairs of plates embodying a fixed plate and a movable plate superimposed upon said fixed plate and operatively connected to said shaft for longitudinal movement toward and away from said shaft, a trip element projecting from the upper face of each of said movable plates, a pair of spaced sleeves circumposed on said shaft, a toothed wheel carried by each of said sleeves and engageable with the trip element adjacent thereto, spring means operatively connected to said movable plate for urging the latter away from said shaft.

PETER B. SEARCY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 634,873 Brown Oct. 17, 1899 660,944 Bowen Oct. 30, 1900 798,305 Smith Aug. 29, 1905 814,747 Sullivan Mar. 13, 1906 958,165 Parsons May 17, 1910 1,177,995 Crozier Apr. 4, 1916 1,204,627 Williams Nov, 14, 1916 1,251,425 Rogers et al Dec. 25, 1917 1,280,207 Glaze Oct. 1, 1918 1,301,006 Prior Apr. 15, 1919 1,768,396 Conrad June 24, 1930 2,380,193 Scott July 10, 1945 

